Police arrest another ‘hitman’ over Glebelands hostel murders

Another suspected “hitman” wanted in connection with a string of murders related to the Glebelands Hostel at Umlazi, south of Durban, has been arrested, police in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province said on Tuesday.

In a statement, police said the suspect, 38, was arrested on Monday in connection with two murders and one attempted murder.

“Police traced the man who remained very elusive to the Harding area where he was arrested,” the statement said.

“He will appear at the Umlazi Magistrates Court tomorrow [Wednesday] and is expected to join the seven other suspects whose bail was successfully opposed.”

Police say he will be charged with the attempted murder of Fezeka Njiyelo, 29, who was shot and wounded at the hostel in 2016, as well as two other murders.

“On 12 September 2015 at 15:15, William Mthembu and Thokozani Machi were exiting a supermarket in Montclair when they were attacked. It is alleged that the suspects shot and killed them before fleeing in their getaway vehicle,” police said.

“A murder docket was opened at the Montclair police station. It was immediately established that the victims were from the Glebelands Hostel and that their murder was linked to the tensions in the hostel at that time and the Detective Task Team immediately took over the investigation.”

Last week, the Durban Regional Court denied bail to five of seven men charged with murders, attempted murders and conspiring to commit murders that took place at the hostel between 19 August 2014 and 26 March 2016. Two others, who were part of the alleged gang of hitmen, had abandoned their bail bids.